Bobinson was tracking me with his camera as if he was expecting some sort of mishap. Well, we were both wearing the deadly dangerous Kahtoolas…
Bobinson was tracking me with his camera as if he was expecting some sort of mishap. Well, we were both wearing the deadly dangerous Kahtoolas…
where was that then?
Stob Diamh near Dalmally. Great day, got photies and stories to tell, too tired…
need to e mail you pics as there are a fair few of you !
I love it.
Lets see the bastards that say the KTS are no good provide evidence of actually using them. Unlikely. We should definitely film us using them on more.
Looks like it was a gid snowy day. Sorry I missed it.
You were missed. There will be more opportunity very soon.
Having not wore mine till yesterday (dad made me put them on !)
I couldn’t really comment !
But yesterday we had some discussion, having wore many pairs of crampons I put the Kahtoolas on and really thought, yes I am now wearing crampons.
We tested them on some steeper slopes further down and it was more likely your bottle or thighs would fail before the Kahtoolas.
I was very impressed and the fact (as one guy said yesterday) ” its good to get the bastards on (crampons) after carrying them all winter” says it all.
I think the Kahtoolas give greater versatility to your day in the hill as you can walk in and out of the snow line without having to wear big heavy stiff boots.
Shame you missed it as I had to run away from PTC on my own this time !
Aye, it’s a shame that Kahtoolas are seen and “not quite” crampons. You know like there’s Grivel, CAMP, Black Diamond etc, then there’s Kahtoola over there doing something different.
It’s gear, it works, get them on and get out there I say.
Aye, my experience tells me it’s only the angle of the front points (on the KTS Steels anyway) that limits the terrain you can tackle – but if your activity is towards the ‘walking end of winter mountaineering’ then get them on and get going!
Alas, none of the KTS or Microspikes or Icebugs saw action for me yesterday, but we still had a jolly nice day out amid the smaller hills and industrial relics of Snowdonia :)
Getting oot is the main thing.
It is good to get the ideal conditions for spiky feet now and again though :o)
True :)
But another part of me says “Sod spiky feet… time for grip wax and metal edges!! :))”
As I set here looking at a pair of snowshoes, all sorts of thoughts are going through my mind as well :o)
Just wondered if you’d seen the March edition of TGO yet? Eddie Meehan spends his whole 2-page ‘lightweight’ article singing the praises of Kahtoolas :)
And the alloy ones at that!!
Strange really, in other ways TGO is looking more and more like Trail! ;O)
I can’t believe that its taken the media so long to catch up with Kahtoolas.
I can imagine the TGO piece all “oh look, this is the best thing ever”, Trail’s had “wear these and you’ll die”, and the truth as we know all is somewhere in the middle. Thankfully they’ve been selling well and folk are out there finding the limits of their performance and application on the hill not on the page.
But hey, I’ve got a pair of Grivel alloy things coming in to trip over soon. And they’re lighter than the Kahtoolas :o)
Coming from the man who’s advocated poncho/tarps and sleeping in a dust mask as lightweight options, I found his Kahtoola piece very balanced. Sufficient caveats about ‘non-technical’ etc. and a good no-nonsense description of his use of them with trail shoes, summarised as “I’ve found them to be ideal for 95% of the conditions I’m likely to use them in, and adequate for the remaining 5%”. It’s worth a read if you find yourself by the magazines in WHS! (Or I could scan it ;O)
Ach, I’ll take your word for it :o)
Matt, I wouldnae mind a scan though if you’ve got one going? Theres probably not much else I’d read in TGO. I like some of Eddie’s wackier articles. They’re often very amusing!
Sent it BBF! :)
Got it Matt, cheers ;o)